Voters Give de Blasio Mixed Marks in Poll

Mayor Bill de Blasio continues to have a mixed approval rating in a new Quinnipiac poll released Thursday.

The poll released the day the first-term mayor held his first fundraiser for his 2017 reelection campaign found him with a 45 percent approval rating, with 46 percent of voters disapproving of his job performance.

His ratings largely held steady despite a rough summer that included bruising political fights with Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Uber as well as worries about a rise in homelessness.

De Blasio, a Democrat, had a 44 percent approval rating in Quinnipiac’s previous poll, which was conducted in August.

Forty-eight percent of voters surveyed said the mayor deserves a second term while 42 percent do not.

De Blasio was scheduled to hold the fundraiser at 6:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The individual donation level was capped at $4,950. He said early Thursday that it was the kick-off to his re-election bid.

The mayor said that the current political climate requires fundraising to begin early; in this case, a full two years before voters cast their ballots. No Democrats have publicly announced a primary challenge to de Blasio, although several are widely reported to be considering it.

The mayor said that he would proudly run on his record, which includes low crime levels, the creation of universal Pre-K and an ambitious affordable housing plan.

This article appeared in print on page 1 of the October 30th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.